Search results for query: *

We recently bought a Little Giant Still Air incubator to use for a hatching incubator so that I could set and hatch small numbers of eggs on a weekly basis. I used it last weekend with fairly good success, but thought it might have gotten a bit too humid. So I bought a new thermometer that...

The past two weeks we have had excessive heat with most days being between 98-104. The vents are open on the coop. I let them free range, so they can find cool earth under the coop to burrow in and other shady areas. I also make sure they don't run out of water, although I can't always keep...

I had a chick get stuck in the shell. The shell is partially open and I can see that the chick is dead. Do I leave it or take it out? Which is safest for the remaining chicks? (One hatched, 4 pipped so far.)

I have around 32 hens, who were all hatched last Spring. I guess I shouldn't be surprised to have broodies, but since the only ones I have had in the past were Silkies, I really didn't expect to be dealing with broody brown Leghorns, Australorps and Polish. I have a Barred Rock in on the...

My Cochin Bantams are around 17-18 weeks old. The Cockerel's have started mounting the pullets (much to their dismay). There is a Belgian d'Uccle that they have been breeding for almost 2 weeks. How long do you think it will be before she lays? (Her comb and wattles are red.)

This is what I found in one of my nest boxes today. One strange looking chicken.

Had to cull one of the Belgian d'Uccle chicks we hatched about 6 weeks ago. It was fine starting out, but sometime over the past couple of weeks, it stopped being able to stand up. It would try and legs would shake, but it mostly moved on the lower leg. Sometimes it would pitch forward and...

I have learned how to approach a strange dog from the the side to show I'm friendly not threatening and not to run, etc. Are there ways to interact with roosters to keep them from feeling threatened and attacking me? One of my favorite little Cochin Cockerels is only 3 months old, but seems to...

I just hatched a clutch of eggs in our incubator. On chick was zipped half way around it's shell and then stopped. I guess it got sticky although humidity was at 75% or higher all day. When we moved all the other chicks over, I hear this one still chirping and helped it out of it's shell. It...

I am sure the exact answer to my dilemma is here somewhere, but I am short on time and have been searching and can't quite find it, so hope someone can help. I have a Barred Rock who has gone broody. She has been in the same nest box for about 4 days. We took eggs the first couple of days...

I have just recently noticed that some of our chicks open their beaks as if to squawk, but no sound comes out. It almost looks like they are gagging. Anybody know what this behavior means?

I have 2 WCB polish in a pen with 2 GL polish. My Roos are GL and I would like to collect a few of the GL eggs for incubation. However, I have no real way of telling who is laying what egg and no place to put the WCB Polish to separate them. I CAN tell that two of them lay a rounder, white...

This Winter I ordered 26 assorted feathered bantam chicks from Ideal. I had some losses with the first shipment, so replacements and extras were sent. I ended up with 30 bantams between the two shipments. I assumed I would be selling or trading off duplicates, but I have actually ended up...

I suddenly noticed tonight that my flock is looking quite spectacular. Their combs and waddles are super bright and red after looking rather lack-luster for much of the winter. Even the EEs with their tiny combs were really showing up. I'm not sure what is responsible for the change, but I...

Our first shipment of chicks hatched 8 weeks ago and this morning we were greeted with the cutest little crow from one of our Cochin Bantams. He is more mature looking than his brothers but this seems much earlier than I remember from the past. I haven't had Cochin Cockerels before, so maybe...

Last year we ordered 5 straight run Partridge Cochin hoping, for once to get a roo, because they are so gorgeous. I ended up with all pullets. Now this year I ordered assorted straight run banty chicks. I ended up with a good number of Partridge Cochins, but they all look alike to me! Most...

These little chicks are six weeks old and looked exactly alike for the first 4 weeks. Now I am starting to hope that I have a trio. The one on the right has a bigger, pinker comb and it has more solid black around neck and on tail.

A lady I work with was talking to me about a bantam rooster her brother used to have. She said it had curly feathers and they named him curly. I thought sure she meant a Frizzle, so I showed her pictures of mine. She said, the color was right but that theirs had a curlier feathers and called...

I have 13 Millie Fluer Belgian D'Uclle bantam eggs that I have saved over the last 12 days in the incubator. Just for fun we each picked a mystery mutt out of tonight's egg bucket. Actually, my choice will either be a full golden laced polish or a golden laced/White crested black cross. My...

I am preparing to teach a class on keeping backyard chickens. I plan to cover breed selection, care of baby chicks, equipment needed, local chicken laws and ordinances, housing your flock, and basics of care and feeding. I would love any advice or information you learned starting out that you...